OLYMPIA — Nineteen deaths have been confirmed from the flu in Washington state so far this season, including two children who died, the state Department of Health reported.
The latest update from health officials said flu activity in the state is elevated, with more than 1,800 patients reporting flu-like symptoms during the last week of December alone — the most recent period for which data is available.
Ten outbreaks of flu-like sickness also have been reported at long-term care facilities in the state so far in the 2019-2020 season to date.
KOMO reported that of the 19 people who have died in Washington state, one was less than 5 years old and another was between the ages of 5 and 17, state health officials report.
One adult between the ages of 30 and 49 also has died, and the remaining 16 deaths were in people aged 50 or older.
The greatest concentration of flu deaths has been in Pierce County, where five deaths have been reported.
The other deaths are spread among 11 other counties, including King, Kitsap, Thurston and Whatcom counties in Western Washington.
